Periagoge
Scenario

When you're a public defender torn between system and client

I'm a public defender and I know my client is probably guilty but I also know he won't get a fair trial because he's Black and poor and I'm losing sleep over whether fighting harder makes me complicit in a broken system or if giving up makes me complicit in his destruction.

More people experience this than they realize.

What we've seen

The moral weight of operating within an unjust system while trying to serve justice creates an impossible ethical bind.

Your guide for this
Juana
Juana works with people navigating exactly this kind of situation.
Ideas that help explain it
Worth thinking about

“Where Are You with Criminal justice systems globally?”

Peri

Peri can explain why this happens, help you decide if this is the right situation for you, and point toward the right journey or coach.

If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.